John Ringling North

From the list of elephant persons Family: North

 ☨ John Ringling North 
Picture of John Ringling North
North (right) and Frank Buck
Profession circus director
Personal details
Born 1903-08-14 in United States
Dead 1985-06-04 in Belgium
Residence
Country United States
Locations
Title owner 1936-1967
Location at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in United States
Title owner 1963-1964
Location at Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus European Tour in United States
Relevant literature
Biography details

John North North, circus director in United States

North was born * 1903-08-14 in United States dead 1985-06-04 , in Belgium , son of circus director Harry Whitestone North and circus director Ida Ringling North .

John Ringling North (August 14, 1903 in Baraboo, Wisconsin – June 4, 1985 in Brussels, Belgium) was the president and director of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1937 to 1943 and again from 1947 to 1967.


Records about John Ringling North from the book Animals are my life, by Lorenz Hagenbeck
The first people to visit us when the war was over were young John Ringling and his wife. John had now grown into a fine figure of a man. When something pleased him he had a trick of jerking his head, pursing his lips and whistling softly to himself. Our horse trainer had just taken on his team of sixteen blacks, each in white harness with a large brass number plate. 'Now then, mix it! 1 he would cry, and go out of the ring, whereupon the horses would gambol about, weaving in utter disorder, like children at playtime. A moment later, he would return and cry: 'In your places,' and they would at once form up in proper order. This performance really did make John Ringling whistle, and our wonderfully trained eighteen polar bears, twelve Bengal tigers and the exotic item with fourteen zebras and camels also pleased him mightily. In due course he wrote us a handsome cheque, in addition transferring to us four elephants out of his American Herd, which by steady purchasing in these years since we last met he had built up to some ninety animals.

1946: Besides good wishes from all over the world to mark this centenary, there were also live presents from foreign zoos. John Ringling-North had sent us eight sea-lions by air from California.

The book Animals are my life, written 1956 by Lorenz Hagenbeck


1927: John Ringling had the circus move its headquarters to Sarasota, Florida in 1927.

1929: the American Circus Corporation signed a contract to perform in New York City. John Ringling purchased American Circus, owner of five circuses, for $1.7 million.

1967: John Ringling North sold the circus to Irvin Feld.

Siblings

Siblings through the father Harry Whitestone North (1858 -- 1921):

  1. Henry Ringling Born 1909-11-12 Dead: † 1993-10-02

John Ringling Norths ancestral Ahnentafel:
P I II III

John Ringling North
Born: 1903-08-14

Father:
Harry North

Born: 1858

Paternal Grandfather:


Born:
Paternal Great-grandfather:
Paternal Great-grandmother:
Paternal Grandmother:


Born:
Paternal Great-grandfather::
Paternal Great-grandmother:

Mother:
Ida Ringling

Born: 1874

Maternal Grandfather:
Heinrich Ringling

Born: 1826
h 		Maternal Great-grandfather:
Maternal Great-grandmother:
Maternal Grandmother:
Marie Juliar

Born: 1833
Maternal Great-grandfather:
Nicholas Juliar
Maternal Great-grandmother:
Maria Etling


John Ringling North is mentioned on 11 other person pagesArturo Vasconcellos,  Edith Conway,  Gunther Gebel,  Henry Ringling,  Ida Ringling,  Ivor Rosaire,  James Smith,  Louis Gautier,  Nadia Houcke,  Olof Rhodin,  Walter McLain,  

John Ringling North is mentioned on 12 location pagesCircus Leopold,  Circus Rosaire,  Circus Williams,  Cristiani Brothers Circus,  Firma Carl Hagenbeck,  Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus,  Kelly Miller Circus,  Peru Circus Village,  Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus,  Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus (Gold Unit),  Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus (Red Unit),  Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus European Tour,  

John Ringling North is mentioned on 2 elephant record pagesLittle John (Bung-noi),  Tillie,  

Books where John Ringling North is mentioned

Selected publications

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2026). director John North North in United States. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 14 May 2026 at https://www.elephant.se/person.php?id=486. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:


External links about John Ringling North


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Categories director | circus | Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus | North family | People who lived in United States | Born 1903 | Born in United States | Dead 1985 | Dead in Belgium |


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